Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Advertisement

Serotonin Deficient Brains More Vulnerable to Social Stress and Do Not Respond to Standard Antidepressants

by Dr. Trupti Shirole on February 12, 2015 at 6:06 AM
 Serotonin Deficient Brains More Vulnerable to Social Stress and Do Not Respond to Standard Antidepressants

Serotonin-deficient mice brains are more vulnerable to social stress and do not respond to a standard antidepressant, fluoxetine (Prozac), which works by boosting serotonin transmission between neighboring neurons, revealed a Duke study. These results may help explain why some people with depression seem unresponsive to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most common antidepressant drugs available in the market today. It also points to several possible therapeutic strategies to explore for treatment-resistant depression.

Senior author Marc Caron said, "The results are very exciting because they establish in a genetically defined animal model of serotonin deficiency, that low serotonin could be a contributing factor to the development of depression in response to psychosocial stress and can lead to the failure of SSRIs to alleviate symptoms of depression."

Advertisement

During the study, researchers used a transgenic mouse strain called Tph2KI that has only 20-40 percent of normal levels of serotonin in its brain. Tph2KI mice harbor an extremely rare mutation that was first identified in a small group of people with major depression. In the new study, researchers tested the responses of these mice to a type of psychosocial stress- social defeat stress.

Researchers found that a 3-week treatment with Prozac following the exposure to stress alleviated depression-like symptoms in normal mice, but not mutant mice. Caron said, "Prozac and other SSRIs work by blocking the ability of cells to recapture serotonin, so it makes sense that the drugs would be less effective in animals with abnormally low levels of serotonin to begin with."

The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Source: Medindia
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Mental Health News

New Suicide Crisis Helpline in Canada
The Canadian government has launched 988, a new three-digit suicide crisis helpline to provide suicide prevention support.
Pickling Positivity: Lactobacillus Guards Against Anxiety, Depression
Lactobacillus unveils new avenues for therapies targeting anxiety, depression, and various mental health conditions.
Can Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Therapy Alter Brain Activity?
Neuroimaging exposes alterations in connectivity among individuals dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), stated study.
How Stress Induce Emotional Overeating?
Proenkephalin, a chemical molecule present in the brain's hypothalamus, is linked to emotionally driven overeating in response to stress and threats.
From Inflation to Global Affairs- Americans are Stressed on Holidays
Americans experience stress over the holidays, due to inflation, world affairs, rising flu and COVID-19 instances, and previous holiday melt-down.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Serotonin Deficient Brains More Vulnerable to Social Stress and Do Not Respond to Standard Antidepressants Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests